A US company linked to a listeria outbreak which infected 146 people and killed at least 30, has filed for bankruptcy.
In September and October, rock melons (known as cantaloupes in the US) from Jensen Farms were found to contain the deadly bacteria, which the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said was likely spread by inadequate food safety procedures at the company’s packaging facility.
Jensen Farms filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on 25 May, estimating it has up to 99 creditors.
It is estimated the company’s assets are between US$1 million and US$10 million and its liabilities are between US$10 million to US$50 million.
It listed income between May 2011 and May 2012 of US$4.78 million.
In filing for bankruptcy, Jensen Farms says twelve wrongful death lawsuits and seven personal injury lawsuits that have been filed against the company as potential liabilities.